Anti-government protesters were on the march again in the Thai capital today, targeting more government offices in a bid to keep up pressure on the prime minister to resign and call off next month's election.

The marches appeared to be a way to maintain momentum amid a
decline in the number of protesters who have blocked key
intersections in Bangkok for four days now in attempt to shut down
the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Their numbers
could swell again this weekend.

Ms Yingluck's opponents, mostly from the urban middle and upper
class, claim she is carrying on the practices of her billionaire
brother by using the family fortune and state funds to influence
voters and cement its grip on power.

But she has widespread support among Thailand's poor majority in
the countryside because of the populist policy carried out by her
brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who lives in
self-imposed exile to avoid being imprisoned on a corruption
conviction.

On Wednesday night, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban urged
followers to march to offices of the Revenue Department, noting
that other government agencies had already been forced by the
protesters' sieges to move to temporary premises or allow employees
to work at home.

The demonstrators also targeted the Public Health Ministry and
Public Works Department. Another group led by a Buddhist monk
claimed to be headed to the office of the Department of Special
Investigation, Thailand's FBI.

The protests this week have been mostly peaceful, although there
have been random acts of violence including gunshots in the middle
of the night at protest venues.

Overnight, a small explosive device was hurled into the
residence of protest leader Issara Somchai Issara, damaging part of
a motorcycle in the garage, according to Police Col. Pong
Sangmurin.

Since the latest wave protests started in November, eight people
have been killed and more than 450 have been injured.

Despite pressure from the protesters, Yingluck said Wednesday
that the Feb. 2 parliamentary election will go ahead. She had
dissolved parliament and called the early vote to defuse tension
that has been building over the past three months.

But her opponents don't want an election because they know that
her rural supporters would almost certainly give her victory.
Instead, they are calling for an unelected “people's council” to
replace the government and amend laws to fight corruption in
politics.

Ms Yingluck told reporters after a meeting with members of her
Cabinet, registered candidates and a top electoral official that
there was no legal way for the Election Commission to delay it.

“The rights of the people are important,” she said.

The protests are being led by Suthep Thaugsuban

She also had offered to meet with rivals on Wednesday to discuss
an Election Commission proposal to delay the vote on 2 February.
But protest leader Mr Suthep and the opposition Democrat Party
refused to take part, saying reforms to get rid of corruption in
politics must happen first.

While the road blockages created traffic disruptions, life
continued normally in most of Bangkok, a bustling city of 12
million.

Thailand has been wracked by repeated bouts of unrest since the
military ousted Thaksin in 2006 amid charges of corruption and
alleged disrespect for the monarchy. The crisis boiled over again
late last year after a failed ruling party bid to push through an
amnesty bill that would have allowed Thaksin to return from
exile.

The country's army chief has pointedly refused to rule out a
military takeover - always a possibility in a country that has
suffered 11 coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932.